Folding pedal yoke



Jan. Z, 1951 A. P. RIPPENBEIN FOLDING PEDAL YoKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27, 1948 Jam 2, 1951 A. P. RlPPENBElN 2,536,466

l FOLDING PEDAL YOKE Filed May 27, 1948 2 SheQts-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 2, 1951 Albert P.' Rippenbein, New York, N; Y..

Application May 27; 1948; SerialfNo. 29,464-l 7 Claims.

This..l invention; relates to-v driving means fort vision ofja novel. combination of parts` whereby the `pedal axles. or-shafts (and therefore the pedals.. mounted thereon) may be quickly detached,` from. operative engagement with the` cranks. andtemporarilyfixed `in .a position adjacent the 'cranksand approximately parallel thereto so, that-,in efectzthepedals lie in the same-general planeoccupied by the other bicycleparts.

This` applicationuis a continuation in part of my"depending-application filed April 6, 1945, Se rial Number 586,962...

Thefprotrus-ion. of thei pedals from the general area occupied by the frame of the, bicycle prevents compact packingof the bicycles against the .side .of- `a vvehicle andlikewise complicates the stackingof the.` bicycles one against the other Whenas in the case of military usage, quantities' of bicyclesfmust. be quickly handled. and ltransported. Removal l and assembly of the pedal shafts` from" or..on the cranks involves the use of a .Wrench or. similar tool whiohis not always readilyatiuhand.. Moreover; the pedal, shafts and their-attachedV pedalsC once, removed are easily lost-'or misplaced.. Therefore where bicyclesfare alternatively transported and used, ready removal ofthe pedals-from their operative'positionf pedal shaft and pedal solinkedtogether that the pedal'shaft and the attached pedal once removed from operative engagement with the crank, may, Without actual detachment from the crank, be quickly xed into a temporary position alongside and adjacentthe crank. Other features ofl the inventionl include, in combination with the pedal and, pedal shaft, means by which the pedal may itself become the medium through which turn-` ing, moment is applied to disengage the pedal shaft from operative connection with the cranl'i thereby eliminating the use of any separate tool for this'purpose.

Preferred embodiments of this; invention are.

illustrated in the.- attached drawing; in which Fig. 1 illustrates, in side elevational View, an assembly of sprocket, crank, pedal shaft and peda-lwith thefpedal parts ixedin thetemporary or nonoperative position;

Fig.. 2` is a: front elevational view,` with some parts in section,.of the-assemblyshownin l.;

Fig. 3 is affrontelevational.View, withjsome partsin section; of. the same. assembly.. with. the pedalV parts now.. in. operative positonon thecrank;

Fig. l is aview. of theA partsshownin Fig3, taken at.theline 4.-?4 asindicatedin Fig. 3.;

Fig. 5 is .a View, partly. in, elevation and. partly in section, of the. parts shown.,inl'ig-A 4;` when viewedas indicated. bythe lne.:55 of, theilltr. ter ligure;

Fig. 6lis aV sectional viewtaken. through theV crank and. the pedal.. shaftin the plane-v indicated] by the line. --6...on.Fig. l;

Figxl illustratespartly in.section-andpartly in.y elevation, an alternative form of` locking` arf,

rangement betweenthe crankand.the-pedalshaft whenthe pedalparts Vare in operative position;

Fig.. 8 isa. front;v elevational view., of a.crank sprocket Vand pedal` assembly embodying an al1'- ternate form .of locking arrangement, with Some..

parts in.. sections showingV the. pedal'v parts in, operative position on the crankrthedot and dash, line indicating. the position. of the pedalv when the pedalshaft has ,been removedfrom operativey position;

Fig. 9- isa viewof theparts shown in 8j taken. atthe line 9 9 in Fig. 8;, and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken through the crank and. pedaL shaft along theline Ill |0, in Fig. 8..

Referringy to Figures 1 to 7 the sprocket lll'. and crank-.II are iixedito a` driveshaft l2; An aperture l 3. located. at the. extremity ofA the. crank. provides means for operatively engaging apedalj shaft in crank4 drivingposition, i, e., at approximate right angles tothe crank.

The pedal` shaft. himay` best. ben deselibedasJ comprising an` axle, upon whichA the. pedals. are rotatively and. conventionally mounted; andijan, intermediate orextending portion, I5; which spaces4 the axleA portion from. the` crank` engaging..

The pedal structure. proper consistsof, crossed..

arms I8. suitably journaled for rotationon.the`

axlev portion of the shaft I4. Betweensaidr` arms |.B and mounted on; boltlaxles 26.which extend. through the arms lare therubber Dads t9. EX.- cept forthe extensonor intermediataportih. l5 of thepedal shaft. and. the planar surface..

tion of which will be described herein, the parts thus far described are conventional in design and theirassembly is found in most bicycles. Specific construction of these parts is of little consequence to this invention. In fact it is a feature of this invention that a modern bicycle may be adapted to embody the principles thereof by the substitution of a new pedal shaft, and the addition to the conventional assembly of various parts now to be described.

One such part is the means 2| xed to the crank II intermediate its ends which means is designed to provide a loose but positive connec- Y tion between the pedal shaft and crank thereby preventing the removal of the pedal from the bicycle but allowing movement of the pedal shaft and its attached pedal from operative position to a position adjacent and parallel to the crank. yMeans 2| is, therefore, in effect, a loose pivot and, in the form here shown, consists of an upwardly extending yoke-like arm which defines a slot` or aperture 22 sized to receive and loosely surround theV intermediate shaft portion I5, the shoulder I6 serving as means to prevent the shaft end from slipping through the slot 22 and thereby disengaging thepedal parts from the closed yoke. Likewise mounted on the crank II, and at a point spaced `from'the coupling means 2, is the clip 28 which serves as a means to grasp the pedal shaft I6 as it is raised to its non-operative position adjacent the crank II. rIhe function and action of. said clip is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6. Theclip 28 is so mounted on crank Il that it may be swung out of its functional position into the position shown in Fig. 3 when the pedal parts are operatively mounted l on the crank, thereby avoiding inconvenience or injury to the operator of the bicycle. Thus, by providing a pedal shaft of suitable configuration and by mounting on the crank the means 2l to loosely yoke the shaft to the crank and provide a loose pivot and guideway for the movement of Vthe shaft from its operative toits non-operative position, in which latter position it is maintained by the means 28, I am able, by simple alteration of any bicycle, to provide a crank and pedal assembly the parts ofA which may be quickly collapsed or folded into the general plane of the other parts of the bicycle. Y

Referring now to Figs. 8 and l0 showing alternate forms of my invention, the pedal shaft 3] is operatively fixed to the crank 3| at aperture 32 located at the extremity of the crank 3| which is in turn xed to the standard bicycle shaft and sprocket.

The pedal shaft 30' comprises an axle portion upon which pedals are mounted in the conventional manner and anrintermediate portion 33 which spaces the axle portion from the crank engaging end of the shaft. The shoulder 35 serves as an abutment to limit the movement of the end Vof the shaft into the crank aperture 2V and also the function now described.

A yoke like member 44 is fixed to the crank 3| adjacent the pedal shaft receiving aperture 32.V The yoke is rigidly snubbed on the crank 3| by the tightening of nut and bolt i5, 46. The yoke is provided as a pivot means for a loose but positive connection between the pedal shaft 3l) and the crank SI to prevent the removal of the pedal from the bicycle but allowing movement of the pedal shaft and pedal from operative `position to a position parallel to the crank 3|. VThe yoke defines a slot or aperture (Il sized to receive and loosely surround the intermediate portion of the pedal shaft 33. The shoulder 35 serves as means to prevent shaft from slipping through the slot 41. Nodular projections I8 are arranged on the inner surfaces of the yoke M so that when the pedal shaft 3U is swung out of operative position to a position substantially parallel to the crank 3|, the camming action of the shaft against the projections 48 on the opposed inner surfaces of the yoke cause the side walls of the yoke to yield slightly and to snap back to their original position after the shaft has passed thereby effectively locking the shaft in the non-operative position adjacent the crank 3| as shown by the dot dash line in Fig. 8 and as shown in Fig. 10. Y

The combination of parts described will serve to good purpose when used as such, but their usefulness is increased by a further and optional feature by which the use of a separate tool for disengaging the pedal from the crank or re-engaging`V the pedal with the crank is eliminated. To this end I provide means for temporarily locking the pedals against rotation on the pedal shaft, thus allowingthe use of the relatively broad surfaces of the pedal assembly as a lever to exert sufficient turning motion on the shaft to engage or disengage the interlocking surfaces formed on the crank aperture I3 and the end of the shaft III. These interlocking surfaces may take various forms, such as the conventional yscrew threads illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 or the bayonet type of locking surfaces illustrat'd in Fig. 7 or any other surfaces formed -to frictionally engage when the shaft end is inserted and turned within the crank aperture. While the means by which the pedal arms I8,V and thereby the pedals, are locked against rotation on shaft- I may take various forms, one form is Yshown in Figs.V l-7 and comprises the use of a movable or locking plate 23 bearing a surface which may be moved Vinto engagement with the planar surfaceV presented by the squared shoulder il formed on the pedal shaft thereby locking the pedals against rotation on the shaft. Iny the specific form shown in the drawings the movable plate 23 denes a largeV opening 24 which, when the plate is lying in its normal or dot and dash line position (indicated in Fig. 4), axially corresponds with shaft I4, thus allowing the lpedals to rotate freely. The plate is likewise providedY With the square-shaped aperture 25 is so located that shifting of the plate to its locking, or full-line, position (seeFig. 4) will bring this square aperture into Vcontact with the surfaces of the squared shoulder Il, thus forming a positive lock between the pedals'and the pedal shaft.

An alternate form of temporarily locking thel pedal against rotation on the pedal shaft for disengaging vand re-engaging the pedal and the crank, is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The pedal shaft 39 at the juncture of the axle'portion and Yintermediate portion 33 is provided with drill holes or depressions 34, which are YdianletricallyY posed radial channels extend from the trough of' thel groove to the pedal shaft 30, the channels having the same diameter as the depressions 34 in the shaft and positioned so that they lmay be aligned with the depressions; a spring steel wire clip 43 having a conguration asrshown in Fig. 9 is positioned in the channel 42. v

Thepedal is locked on'th'e shaft 30 so Vthat it descarta Q3 past" the? headA p`o`rtiorif1lill toAY permit`A` the`VA opp'o'sed ndsfof the`- spring clipftdlenter'the depressionsf'lliri:'thesliaftSlll To release' the lock: ingmmeans the clip is returned to the position shovvnin` Figs'. 8 and? 9,1lth'e opposed ends are moved apart andvretract from the depressions by camming actionof the'wire clip as it moves over thef/surface'foff knob A 0f' 'Phe Iannular*groove 4I retains the spring clip to prevent accidental locking. k ,l

The locking" and wrenching means outlined4 abov'tolwhich claims wer originally assertedI infthefapplication of vvliicliitldisv application-is a continuation in part are now claimed in Letters Patent No. 2,470,414, granted May 17, 1949.

My invention has been described herein using for examples several alternative forms and it will be understood that an interchange of the parts and a substitution or change in form of the parts may be made without a departure from the principles of my invention. It is not intended to limit my invention to the illustrated forms except as such limitations are expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to drive a shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft formed of an axle portion, a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said end and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means xed on said crank intermediate its ends and shaped to form an outwardly extending yoke sized to loosely surround the intermediate portion of said shaft, positioned around said shaft to form a loose pivot for movement of the shaft from its operative position to a position substantially parallel and adjacent to said crank, said shoulder being sized to prevent the disengagement of the pedal shaft from said means, a second means carried on said yoke and positioned to engage and retain the pedal shaft when it is moved to a position parallel to the crank.

2. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to drive a shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, the pedal shaft being formed of an axle portion, a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said end and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means fixed on said crank intermediate its ends and forming an outwardly extending yoke sized to loosely surround the intermediate portion of said shaft and positioned to form a loose pivot for movement of said shaft from its operative position to a position parallel and adjacent to said crank, said shoulder being sized to prevent the passage of the pedal shaft through said yoke, and at least one projection positioned on the inner surface of said yoke sufficiently restricting the passage of the intermediate portion of the shaft as it is pivoted so that it must be forced past the projection into position parallel to the crank, said projection thereby retaining the shaft in its position parallel to the crank.

3. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to drive a shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft formed of an axle portion, a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said 6i? end-- and* ai portion intermediate: said@ shouldeiif and salidaxle; a pedalirotatablymountedfon'ssaid axle] me'ars-nxedl on saidicrank' intermediate; its; ends and forming an* outwardly? extending.; yok'ezi sized toy loosely 1 surround-i anchcontain` the? inter-- mediate portion of saidshaft whereby to l formi a loose?` pivot4 for" movement of` said?` shaft from1it`s= operative position to afpositionparalleliandadjagz cent"Q to" said` crank, saidl shoulder being` sized* to; prevent the disengagement of the pedal shaft?- fromf saidyoke, a" second means` associatedxwithi4 said means `to receive andrnaintainithesliaftfinvits` position paralleland adjacent to the" crank; saidr second means `comprising projectionsfon thezinner surface of said yokefto fyieldinglyi restrictatheipassage of the intermediate portion of the pedal shaft as it is pivoted in both directions.

4. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to a drive shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft formed of an axle portion, a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said end and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means xed on said crank intermediate its ends shaped to form an outwardly extending yoke sized to loosely surround and permanently contain at least a part of the intermediate portion lof said shaft whereby to form a loose pivot for the movement of the shaft from its operative position to a position parallel and adjacent to said crank, said shoulder being sized to prevent the disengagement of the pedal shaft from said means.

5. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to a drive shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft formed of an axle portion. a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said end and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means fixed on said crank intermediate its ends shaped to form an outwardly extending yoke sized to loosely surround and permanently contain at least a part of the intermediate portion of said shaft whereby to form a loose pivot for the movement of the shaft from its operative position to a position parallel and adjacent to said crank, said shoulder being sized to prevent the disengagement of the pedal shaft from said means, and a means carried on said crank and positioned to engage and retain the pedal shaft when said shaft is moved to a position parallel to said crank.

6. In a bicycle driving device a crank attachable at one end to a drive shaft and adapted at its other end to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft comprising an axle portion, a crank engaging end, a shoulder adjacent said end and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means xed on said crank intermediate its ends and forming an outwardly extending yoke sized to loosely surround and permanently contain at least a part of said intermediate portion of said shaft and positioned to form a loose pivot to guide and contain said shaft in the movement of said shaft from its operative position to a position parallel and adjacent said crank, said shoulder being sized to prevent the passage of the pedal shaft through said yoke.

7. In a bicycle driving device, a crank attachable at one end to a drive shaft and provided at its other end with a threaded opening to receive a pedal shaft in cranking position, a pedal shaft comprising an axle portion, a threaded crankgaged releasably in the threaded opening of the crank, and a portion intermediate said shoulder and said axle, a pedal rotatably mounted on said axle, means fixed on said crank intermediate its ends and forming an outwardly extending yoke of suflicient size to loosely surround and permanently containat least a part of said intermediate portion of said shaft and poistioned to form a loose pivot to guide and contain said shaft in its movement fron'i the operative position to a position parallel-.and adjacent said crank, said yoke permitting the rotation of the pedal shaft so that the screw connection of the threaded end of the pedal shaft with the threaded opening in the ALBERT P. RIPPENBE'IN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 2,l 1900 Number 

